Match Maker Challenge
by MaryandMerlin
Summary: This is a compilation of my entries to the Match Maker challenge as clutter control. They are made up of a variety of characters which will be in the chapter titles.
1. Social Ambitions - DracoRomilda

Social Ambitions

Romilda Vane sat quietly in front of the small dressing table placed beside her bed in the 4th year Gryffindor girls' dorm. Her eyes were unfocussed and she wasn't so much staring at her reflection as through it.

Romilda knew that she wasn't a clever girl, and that if she was going to make anything of her life, then she was going to have to use her looks to get by.

She picked up the ivory brush that her parents had sent her, and absentmindedly started the long process involved in detangling her long, curly black hair. Her parents were rich enough to secure her a good match, but Romilda wanted more than mere money, she wanted fame.

Her plan to trap Harry Potter had failed, and it seemed like she was going to have to settle for the wrong kind of fame, but nevertheless it was still fame.

Romilda was, young, she was beautiful and she used these advantages to the best of her ability. Everyone assumed that because of these, and her unfortunate lack of academic ability, she was the epitome of all that was sweet and innocent and so, she played it up. She stayed quiet and demure on the outside, but what she lacked academically she more than made up for in cunning and manipulability. It was surprising the amount of skill she possessed in the art for a girl of 15.

No, she needed to turn her ambitions in a different direction.

She carefully placed the ivory brush down on the table, and looked at herself properly in the mirror. She smiled her best, and noted how it made her eyes shine. She was ready to fight for her position.

X

The next day Romilda started slow, she sauntered into the great hall, skirt dangerously short and 2 buttons undone on her shirt. She laughed loudly and made sure to draw plenty of attention when she passed by the Slytherin table.

As she did so she turned her head, fixed one Draco Malfoy with a sultry gaze and flashed him the most beautiful, and a somewhat suggestive, smile.

The blonde cocked a curious eyebrow in response to the sudden attention, but made no reply. That didn't matter however, he had taken notice and the seed of possibility was wedged in his mind.

X

A few days later she made her way down into the dungeons, pretending to get lost and wandering back and forth past the entrance to the Slytherin common room. She waited for nearly an hour until Draco Malfoy came wandering back, and Romilda hurried down the corridor. She pretended to be looking down whilst he wasn't paying attention and bashed straight into him.

"Oh!" she cried, delicately stumbling backwards and dropping all the books that she was carrying. "I'm so, so sorry, I wasn't paying attention." She mumbled, dropping to her knees to collect her things all the while batting thick eyelashes up at him.

Draco regarded her curiously, stooping to pick up the last book, and tossing it back into her arms.

"Stupid little Gryffindor."

X

Romilda had not suffered any setbacks because of his cold attitude. If anything his outward disregard made her only more determined. She regrouped and plotted and decided to do the next best thing.

"Professor Slughorn?" she asked one day after a potions lesson.

"Yes Miss Vane?" the fat professor asked, not looking up from his papers.

"I was wondering, we both know that potions isn't my best subject." This caused a chuckle.

"That is somewhat of an understatement."

Romilda frowned slightly, but brushed aside the sting that the criticism brought. "I thought that perhaps a tutor would be beneficial, someone older. And it could mean extra credit for them." Slughorn raised his head and one thick eyebrow.

"Did you have someone in mind, Miss Vane?"

"Draco Malfoy."

X

Two months into their study sessions, Romilda became aware of the fact that Slughorn was hosting a party for his group of elites, and that Draco had manage to procure an invitation.

During their time together, three times a week, Draco had grown slowly more and more open with her, they were even on a first name basis. It was true that he had grown more and more drained, and he looked stressed and exhausted but Romilda had come to enjoy their lessons and she was actually improving in potions. Small miracle that that was.

That didn't make it any less of a shock when, for once, she didn't have to push or pander to get exactly what she had wanted all along.

"Romilda?" Draco started, almost shyly. "Would you like to come to Slughorn's party with me?"

The young girl looked at him, and smiled the first real smile of her teenage life.


	2. Rivalry - CedricFleur

Rivalry

When Cedric reached his seventh year he had rather high expectations of it. Sure the work load was going to be heavy, but he fully expected to be able to relax and enjoy his victory lap of the school that had become his home. Instead he wound up in a deadly competition facing a fourth year, a Bulgarian and a stuck up French bitch.

Fleur Delacour might be half-veela and one of the most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on, but that didn't change the fact that she was a first class bitch. She floated around the school, giggling posse in tow, flinging smiles at whatever poor male she came across and then laughing as that poor bugger melted on the spot.

Cedric moved around his room, weaving in and out of the other boys without even having to communicate as he gathered the bits and pieces that made up his outfit for the yule ball tonight. He was taking Cho Chang and for some very annoying reason wasn't half as excited about it as he had been when considering asking her out at the beginning of the year.

He scowled, automatically blaming it on the French tart before realising that the connotations of that would mean he fancied her. Which he didn't, not now and not ever.

Cedric shrugged on his robes, combed his hair, and stole a few squirts of one of his friends aftershave before smiling his best charming smile at the reflection in front of him. He took a deep, steadying breath and finally felt those nervous butterflies. _You can do this_ , he mentally prepped himself, _you defeated a dragon, at 17. You can dance with a pretty girl._

He left the warm, safe comfort of the Hufflepuff common room an started to head towards the great hall, absentmindedly fiddling with his robes trying to make sure they looked perfect. His mind, however, was elsewhere, remembering that fateful task.

It was the first time he had been alone with the champions, apart from Harry, and he was nervous as hell. He had hoped against hope that when Harry had told him the task would be dragons that it was a joke, or a prank but no. He looked down into his hand at the miniature Swedish Short Snout which snapped and spat sparks up at him. If only the real dragon were this size.

"And 'ow are you feeling Ceedreec?"

He span round and there she was the beautiful French angel. Before this point he hadn't realised how fake she was so looking at her up close, smiling at him, it was all he could manage not to become a puddle on the floor.

"F-fine, thanks. A little worried about the size of this thing though, how are you?"

She smiled a little brighter at him and moved a little closer, lowering her voice to almost a whisper as she leaned in close to his ear. "I am reedy to beat your soorry Eeenglish ass."

And with that she swept away, heading straight for Krum and chatting him up, and smiling at poor young Harry until he looked dazed. Good thing he was going last so he would have time to get over her veela charm.

Cedric chuckled slightly, remembering the awestruck look on Harry's face as he climbed the stairs that would put him in the entrance hall. He blinked slightly at the onslaught of light and noise that heralded the beginning of the ball. Students milled about everywhere, talking, laughing and making disgustingly sweet faces at each other.

Cedric was searching the crowd for his date, Cho Chang, when he spotted Fleur across the hall. She was beautiful in a long, exquisite gown, her hair beautifully framing the contours of her face.

He scowled, spotting Cho he all but stomped over to her and pulled her into the line-up, trying to ignore the way Fleur was all over that Ravenclaw snob Roger Davis.

Cedric thought that he made it through the first dance admirably, and he didn't even look at the French girl and her partner more than twice, every five minutes.

He tried focusing on Cho, she was such a lovely girl and he really liked her but there was just something so distracting about Fleur.

The next dance was even more confusing and it involved swapping partners every five minutes, so he ended up dancing with Parvati Patil, Hermione Granger and, unfortunately, Fleur Delacour.

"Weell," she started grinning wickedly up at him, "you can't seem to keeeep yooor eyes off mee ceedreec." She purred enjoying the way his smile became forced.

"You're being ridiculous," he countered. "I dislike you greatly, I think you're fake."

She gasped in mock upset. "Oh ceedreec, we both know that eesnt true."


	3. Dancing - MinervaRon

Dancing

Ron Weasley growled in frustration as he tripped over his own feet for the fifteenth time, stumbling slightly he slammed his hands down on a desk trying to get all of the pent up emotion out. He flicked his wand at the old gramophone to the side, cutting off the classical music that it was playing. Pushing away he dragged a hand through his thick mop of ginger hair letting out a big sigh.

Ron wandered back to the start point he had marked for himself and took up the position, arms raised as if he were dancing with a partner. Another flick of his wand had the disk turning and out poured more classical music. Ron took another deep breath and then started, trying to teach himself the first dance for the yule ball.

A few minutes later and another stumble had the growl of frustration turn into a roar as he threw himself, completely defeated, into a nearby chair. It was useless and hopeless and he was only making a fool of himself by even trying. Hermione would never agree to go with him anyway so why was he even bothering? Last time she had gone with Victor Krum, and sure they were 4 years wiser, and they had kissed once, but it had been months since the battle of Hogwarts and since they had returned to school to complete their final year and nothing. She hadn't even looked at him differently, that kiss was simply 'were about to die'. She didn't want him as anything more than her friend.

A short, sharp, but not impolite cough interrupted his wallowing and Ron looked up slowly to see the new headmistress of Hogwarts stood in the doorway to the abandoned classroom. "Perhaps I could be of some assistance Mr Weasley?" the elderly teacher offered with a hint of a smile.

She looked at the dejected young man and felt him tug at her old heart strings; he shook his head in dismissal clearly having given up all hope. The more she looked the more determined she became to help him, she had always tried to aid the course of true love, after all James Potter hadn't been the first choice, or really the best suited, as head boy, but how else was Lily finally going to take him seriously?

"Nonsense!" she declared, striding determinedly into the room and stopping in front of him. "On your feet Mr Weasley! You are a Gryffindor, and I might not be the head of your house anymore but I will not see you, or Miss Granger, unhappy."

Ron had stood slowly, somewhat unwillingly, but at the mention of Hermione he snapped to attention. "I- I don't know what you're talking about Professor" he stuttered, bloody flushing his face scarlet.

"Of course you don't Mr Weasley, that's not why you're practicing dance steps by yourself. Now," she instructed, "come over here." He did as commanded, the sort of power an old teacher will always have over her student.

They danced a few rounds, and Ron only stumbled once on the bit that had been tripping him up for hours. Of course he found another stumbling block but she was right, as she so often was, and it was far easier to dance with a partner.

They took a break after an hour and Minerva could see that Ron was already far happier, he sat straight rather than slumped and he was smiling, despite the awkward nature of the situation.

"We are going to keep doing this until you get it right Mr Weasley," she declared smiling smugly with great amusement, "and then we are going to get you some new dress robes!"


	4. Quidditch - AstoriaAngelina

Quidditch

A very small, very timid second year Ravenclaw student crept carefully through the darkened halls of Hogwarts. It was an hour after curfew but Astoria knew that this was her best chance. Try outs for the Ravenclaw team were in just over a week and she needed the practice. All of the lessons last year were cancelled or moved as the pitch was turned into a giant maze.

Now this was the moment of truth.

The whole of Astoria's family were Slytherins, purebloods, she was the black sheep of the herd and whilst her mother and father had taken the news surprisingly well she knew that the colour of her school tie disappointed them. She was going to get on to the Quidditch team and make them proud.

But to do that she needed to practice.

She quickly skittered down the stairs in the great hall and dashed across the wide open space. The only light came from the high windows that bathed the hall in a pale light but Astoria was terrified that a teacher or a prefect was lurking in the shadows ready to give her a detention.

She pressed herself back against the cold stone of the wall, clutching her broom to her chest with both hands. After a few minutes she convinced herself that nothing and no one was there waiting to jump out of the shadows at her and so she started moving again.

The big front door was heavy, and Astroia was shocked to find that it was only held by a latch, but she ignored this questionable security and stole out into the dark September night. And it was cold, oh so very cold. Astoria couldn't believe that she had forgotten a coat, but she had come this far and she was determined to go to the very end.

Wrapping her arms round herself she lowered her head and battled her way down to the Quidditch pitch, shivering violently. She walked out into the centre of the pitch, mounted her broom and prepared to kick off.

"Oh come on kid, what are you doing?"

Astoria jumped and shrieked, managing to fall over herself and falling rather hard on her bottom. She groaned but it came out as more of a squeak as she looked into the shadows around her searching for the source of the voice.

A tall, pretty Gryffindor 7th year emerged from the shadows. Astoria recognised her as one of the Gryffindor team, her name was Angelina Johnson.

"Seriously, what are you a Ravenclaw? You can't be more than second year honestly what are you doing out here?"

Astoria gaped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as this older student towered over her, hands on hips, posture intimidating.

"I-I-I"

"Do you want me to give you a detention?"

"T-training!" she stammered scooting backwards slightly. "I want to m-make the t-team."

Astoria watched as the older girl relaxed her stance, hands dropping from her hips. She stayed nervous however as Angelina proceeded to examine her closely.

Astoria must have been shivering noticeably as Angelina pulled out her wand and cast a warming charm around the younger student. She reached down a hand and pulled Astoria up.

"You were holding your broom all wrong, your hands need to be spaced further apart. You'll never make the team if you fall straight off."

"Like this?" Astoria asked, clambering back on to the broom and moving her hands further apart, she already felt steadier.

"A little further, perfect. Now rise onto the balls of your feet, good, and gently bounce. Perfect. Look you're hovering."

Astoria grinned as she pulled her feet away from the ground to discover that she was actually hovering. She had never really ridden a broom before and even these few inches off the ground were exhilarating.

"Okay stay here, I'm going to get my broom and we'll do a few laps. Oh and tomorrow night, remember your coat."


	5. Fling - MaryJames

**Author's Note: Okay there Guys and Dolls! I am surprised with how much I like this fic, I'm a pretty big Jily shipper so writing him with someone else was weird but also I've never written a character like her before. I don't know much about Mary MacDonald other than that she was in school at the same time as them so I have made use of my artistic licence here. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all!**

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Fling

James had thought that over time it would get easier. He had thought that the constant stream of rejections, the snide remarks and the hateful glares would lessen overtime. Or he thought that they would at least start hurting less.

But they didn't.

Every time the beautiful Lily Evans rejected him it was like being stabbed. He had tried, he had really tried, to be a better person so that she would see that he was changing and that he was capable of change. But no, she only ever saw him as the stupid boy they had been as kids.

That's how he ended up in the Hog's Head Inn in the early hours of the morning nursing a nearly drained bottle of Firewhisky and generally feeling sorry for himself.

He didn't notice the petite blonde that slid on to the barstool next to him, he didn't really care too wrapped up in his own sorrow, that was until she placed a pale and delicate hand on his knee.

James jumped at the sudden contact. He nearly fell backwards off his stool only managing to keep his balance y flailing his arms wildly. A movement which sadly caused him to knock the bottle of Firewhisky off the bar so it smashed on the ground. James pouted sadly at the shards of glass and small puddle of liquor on the stone floor.

"What's wrong James?" She purred and James swivelled on his stool. He had to squint because the world had gone extremely blurry but after a few seconds he could distinguish the features of Mary MacDonald.

She was a pretty girl, all legs and boobs. With long silky golden hair and pretty blue eyes and the way she was smiling at him right now made James' stomach do flips. Those lips, painted red and pulled up into a sultry smirk.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times but his tongue felt heavy and funny in his mouth. Too heavy to lift and use properly. "I-I-I'm shad" he slurred frowning at her.

"I can see that," she pouted looking sad at him through long thick eyelashes. "But what's wrong, are you sure there isn't anything I could help you with?" As Mary talked she slid closer to him, causing her hand to slide further and further up his thigh.

He stuttered, wide eyes going to the pale hand and the dangerous journey it was making. "M-Mary, what are you doing?"

She gently slid off the bar stool and took his hand pulling him up. He swayed on the spot still looking at her in utter confusion.

"I know that it's Lily you want James, but it seems you can't have her. I just want to be a good friend to you, and I know how to make it all better." She started walking backwards towards the stairs which led up to the private rooms. "Come on," she said tugging him along with her.

James stumbled drunkenly after her.

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 **I realise that was a little, ooc, but meh it was what my muse came up with and I had to write something tonight because I go on holiday tomorrow. Woo!**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


	6. Temptation - EvanTonks

**Author's Note: So I have managed to write this in about an hour, which has surprised me because an hour ago I posted in the match maker thread saying that I couldn't participate in this round because I had no inspiration for any of the cards. Obviously I was wrong! Aha.**

 **Disclaimer: I have taken a little artistic licence with Rosier but otherwise I do not own any of the characters etc.**

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Temptation

It was no secret that Nymphadora Tonks had what some might call a rebellious streak, and a bit of a thing for older men, but what was certainly not common knowledge was the fact that these little guilty pleasures had once nearly landed her on the other side of the war.

As a Hufflepuff the last thing you would expect of her was siding with a Slytherin, it completely went against everything that the typical Hufflepuff embodied, but that was the whole point. It drove Tonks mad that she was expected to be a doormat for everyone to walk on just because the sorting hat had seen something good in her.

So in her sixth year at the prestigious wizarding school Tonks began to dress wildly, her hair was never the same colour two days in a row and never anything that might be considered normal. She even went so far as to give herself some piercings, with the help of a little magic of course. She started sneaking out of the castle, with and without friends, and partook in many nights of underage drinking. Simply because she would, they always got served in the slightly shadier Hogs Head Inn situated in a back street of Hogsmeade.

But it was there that all the trouble started.

It was one of those rare nights where Tonks was sat at the bar, all by herself, slowly nursing a small glass of firewhiskey. Aberforth was behind the rickety old bar, as per usual, wiping down glasses that had never been properly clean for years, but no one ever seemed to care. Then _he_ came in.

Tonks didn't realise until he sat down next to her but when that voice, like velvet over steel, ordered a firewhiskey of his own Tonks felt a tug in her abdomen and immediately she was drawn to him.

He was one stool over, and quite obviously large, dwarfing the small, awkward bar stool. From what she could see of his profile he had a strong jaw and a good straight nose; his hair was dark, thick, and in complete disarray. That didn't quite seal the deal however, there were plenty of boys like that wandering around Hogwarts. What really sold Tonks was his eyes. He didn't turn to her straight away, giving her ample time to study him in detail, but when he did Tonks audibly gasped, they were such an icy colour that she could feel them pierce her right in the eyes.

The man smirked when she gasped and Tonks, completely mortified, could feel herself flushing scarlet. Not only blushing in her cheeks but she could feel her hair and eyebrows turn scarlet as well.

"A metamorphoses eh?" he murmured still smirking at her but now with one eyebrow quirked in curiosity. It only served to make him more mysteriously and devastatingly handsome. She could only manage to nod wordlessly, trying to break eye contact but finding she could not.

That was the night she met Evan Rosier, former death eater of Lord Voldemort.

By the time she learnt about his past, about the things he had done and the views about society that he had it was too late. She was ensnared so deep in his web, she thought herself so completely and utterly in love, that she didn't care that he had killed innocent people, and would do so again.

He whispered his dark thoughts to her and fed her a mixture of love and lies until she was like a puppet on a string, so willing to do anything that he might have asked of her, on the verge of swearing to become a death eater and avenge the dark lord for the wrong done to him by Harry Potter.

The extent of her self-destructive path reached its pinnacle and its breaking point one night when she was walking the corridors of Hogwarts. It was well after hours and she was returning from a nightly visit to Evan and she all but skipped through the corridors high on love and alcohol when she came across some third years and a little muggle born first year.

They had the young boy cornered, his wand was one the floor behind the older boys and he was defenceless as they taunted him.

Tonks approached the group unnoticed and drew her own wand but for a second she wasn't sure what she was going to do. As she drew near enough to hear what they were saying she realised that it wasn't the fact that they were torturing the poor boy but that they were doing it wrong.

Tonks stopped short and suddenly a sickening realisation dawned on her. Her raised wand begain to tremble in her hand and dropped, startling the older boys who scurried away at the sight of a figure with more authority than them.

Tonks started sightlessly through the little first year sick to her stomach that she had been about to teach those third year boys the correct way to torture a muggle born student.

It was the last time she ever saw Evan Rosier.

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 **So a little sloppy but really I managed to the words out and I am proud that I haven't yet missed a round! I might not win but I will deffo get a participation award!**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


	7. Guilty - PenelopeRemus

**Author's Note: Matchmaker challenge! Not very heavy but certainly heavily implied Penelope/Remus! Hope you enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, certainly not this odd pairing aha**

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Guilty

Penelope Clearwater pouted at herself in the mirror of the sixth year Ravenclaw girls' bathroom trying to look both cute and sexy. She sighed in frustration and returned to fussing with her hair and touching up her make up but it just didn't seem right. She loosened her tie a little and undid the top button of her blouse before checking the length of her skirt; just short enough to turn a few heads.

"I can't believe you Penny, honestly."

Penelope flicked her blue eyes up to see the reflection of her dorm mate, and supposed best friend, staring disapprovingly back at her. Lucy Fortescue was average height with long dark hair, a small mouth and big expressive blue eyes.

"What?" she protested, voice screeching slightly.

"You know exactly what," Lucy pushed herself off the doorframe and came to stand in front of her friend as Penelope turned around. "Just last year you were all over that stuck up little Weasley boy you had prefect duty with and now all of a sudden you look like a slut."

"Lucy!"

"I'm hardly lying, and even worse than that you are getting all dressed up for a teacher. Don't you know how wrong that is? You could get Professor Lupin locked up in jail and you could get expelled what part of you thinks this is a good idea?"

"You're supposed to be my friend Lucy, you aren't supposed to stand there and judge me."

"I don't know who you are anymore Penny, but you don't seem like my friend."

Penelope stared open mouthed at her friend who simply glared straight back. The fact that she thought so little of her really hurt but it looked like there was nothing she could do right now to change her opinion and so she decided not to care.

Penelope tilted her head back, both so she could look down her nose at Lucy and so the hot tears now stinging her eyes would sink back into her head. She huffed and pouted slightly before storming gracefully out of the bathroom. "I don't have time for this Lucy, I have a tutoring session to get to."

She left the dorm room and slammed the door shut behind her, but not before Lucy had the time to shout after her. "You aren't even failing Defence Penny, you're doing this deliberately."

Penelope tried her hardest to ignore the burning sensation in her gut as she walked the corridors of Hogwarts. She tried to enjoy the appreciative looks that she received but she couldn't. Lucy knew exactly what to say to push her buttons and it annoyed Penelope that she was so easy to get to.

She didn't understand though, Lucy had never seen them together, she hadn't seen or felt the connection that joined them. It was something deeper than mere aesthetic attraction. Penelope felt in her heart, in her soul, that whatever it was between her and Remus Lupin was real.

She knocked gently on the door to his classroom before entering and her heart fluttered as he looked up from his desk and smiled crookedly at her.

"Good afternoon Miss Clearwater," he greeted her and Penelope felt all her worries and all her guilt leave her.

"Hey Professor."

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 **Please leave a review!**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


	8. Changing Opinions - PadmaTheodore

**Author's Note: This is my entry for round 8 of the match maker competition. Not my proudest but hey. I was determined to write something.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

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Changing Opinions

As a Ravenclaw Padma had always lived up to the stereotype, not intentionally of course the sorting hat had simply placed her well, but as she reached her sixth year at Hogwarts she began to notice that certain people treat her differently because of the stereotypes that came attached to those Blue and Bronze colours.

She was relatively quiet, although still capable of having a good time, and always tried to have her homework in on time and completed to the best of her ability. That was just good sense though, why hand in a piece of homework that you hadn't tried your best on. Padma mostly kept her head down, she talked to her sister of course but Parvati was far more outgoing than she was, and the friends she had in Ravenclaw but when it came to the other houses she just didn't bother.

Until one Charms lesson just after Christmas when she discovered the idea that maybe she was going about this all wrong.

Professor Flitwick had instructed them to pair up but in order to get them out of their comfort zones not only did they have to pair with someone from a different house but also of a different gender. Padma was at a loss and watched silently as the rest of the class scrambled to find a partner in the other house that they wouldn't end up murdering.

A tap on her shoulder had Padma turning around and she was both shocked and horrified to find Gregory Goyle stood there leering at her. She tried to repress a shudder as he spoke and saliva trickled down his chin, "is this seat taken?"

Padma opened her mouth searching desperately for an excuse to not partner up with him but couldn't. She was just about to give her unwilling consent when they were interrupted. "Hey sorry Goyle, this seat is mine."

Goyle scrunched his face up in annoyance and turned open mouthed read to argue the toss with whoever had interrupted him, but he stopped. "Oh, Nott, okay I'll look for someone else."

Padma turned to her rescuer to find the very handsome, very charming Theodore Nott grinning down at her. "You are welcome," he informed her sliding into the empty seat.

She was speechless as this cocky little Slytherin turned to the front of the room and started listening to the lesson.

X

"Oh come on! Do you really think that little Ravenclaw has it in her?"

"I don't know, they looked pretty chummy sat there together laughing."

"Oh _please_ Caesy, they're almost as bad as Hufflepuffs for this kind of thing."

Padma froze behind the door of the cubicle she was in realising that if she left the Gryffindor girls would stop talking and Padma, who loved gossip as much as the next girl, desperately wanted to know who they were talking about.

"I know I know, but you know you're twins! Surely she got some of that sluttyness that you have."

The other girl scoffed and with some horror Padma realised that on the other side of this door was her very own sister Parvati, and she was bitching about her!

"I prefer flirtatious flare, and besides Theodore Nott could do so much better…" Padma tuned out the girlish voices and giggles as she began to think. Her own sister the twin that she had been inseparable from for years thought of her as a timid pushover.

She jumped at a particularly loud screech of laughter as the two gossips left the bathroom and she felt her heart break a little bit as she realised that the whole world thought she was a joke. Well, that wasn't going to last.

X

"Hey! Nott! I want a word with you."

The handsome, dark haired Slytherin turned in his seat and looked surprised to see her. He stood up as she stormed over and opened his mouth to greet her but he was cut off rather abruptly.

The whole hall gasped and fell silent as shy little Ravenclaw Padma Patil grabbed Theodore Nott crushed him into a kiss and proceeded to drag him out of the great hall. She made sure to throw a smug glance at her sister as she did so.

"Listen Theo I'm sorry about that," Padma started as the rounded a dark corner a few corridors away. "It's just all these girls are talking about what a timid little mouse I am and how much better you could do and I just wanted to show them they were wrong. I know we aren't really friends but if you could just pretend to be my boyfriend for a little while I would really appreciate it."

"Padma," he snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her close to him, used one finger to tip her face up and pressed a soft but passionate kiss to her lips. "Why on earth should we pretend?"

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 **Please leave a review.**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


	9. Fraternising - GeorgeViktor

**Author's Note: This is my entry for the Match Maker competition, written in half an hour with some serious jet lag but I managed it! I hope that you enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognise**

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Fraternising with the Enemy

It was dark, it had to be dark, as George crept through the castle. He didn't have the map, Fred would have gotten suspicious if he had taken it and this was something that he needed to do alone. They had agreed to meet outside the library which would be closed by now and George had spent the last half hour memorising the prefect patrol patterns so he could avoid them all.

His breathing was the only sound that filled the empty corridor but he was surprised that the erratic thumping of his heart wasn't giving him away. A mixture of fear, excitement and guilt was clawing its way up his throat and really all he wanted to do was be sick.

He couldn't help repeating the words his youngest brother Ron had spoken to Hermione over and over in his head. 'Fraternising with the enemy'. It was a completely stupididea because like Hermione had said this whole competition was supposed to be promoting foreign relationships and inter-school communications. Still, he couldn't help but feel like he was betraying his family, even though Ron was ridiculously hot headed and prone to over reacting.

All thoughts about family loyalty left his head however as George rounded the corner that would bring him into sight of the library doors. His heart stuttered and his step faltered but the feelings of excitement finally beat out the other two emotions warring for his attention. He pushed a nervous hand through his thick ginger hair and quickened his steps. A small, tentative smile tugged at his lips as he looked hopefully towards the figure standing in the half-light next to the big wooden doors. A smile which became a full blown grin when his nervous attempts were returned enthusiastically.

George came to a stop and suddenly didn't know what to do. He was the tallest by only a few inches but he had always been unnaturally tall, both he and Fred were, but he was dwarfed by the broadness of the shoulders. It wasn't surprising, the guy was a professional Quidditch player, but it was still something that George, like anyone really, found incredibly attractive.

"George," Viktor spoke smiling up at him and oh his accent. George was melting on the spot like a teenager but he really couldn't help it and at that point in time he really didn't care. That lilt to his name was music to his ears.

"Do you want to go inside?" he asked nodding shyly towards the doors into the library and with a nod from his companion George muttered the spell and the pair slipped quickly inside.

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 **I know it's short but please leave a review!**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


	10. Crazy - NarcissaRodolphus

**Author's Note: I'm going more than a little crazy because I have signed up for far too many challenges and I have far too little time to complete them all! But I am far too stubborn to give up on any of them and so I am sorry if that compromises the quality of the fics that I produce. I hope that you enjoy them anyway :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognise.**

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Crazy

Bellatrix Lestrange had not always been crazy. Eccentric yes, dangerous certainly but the madness that so set her apart from the other death eaters had come much, much later.

Her marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange had been arranged by their mothers and Bellatrix knew that she would never love him but they lived together in a quiet contentment. Friendly if a little cold but this was an ends to a means and if she had to marry anyone at least it was a pureblood. At least the troublesome feelings that came with love could not distract her focus from serving the dark lord.

But it seemed that not everyone felt as much devotion to the cause as she did.

X

The day that Bellatrix began to lose her mind had been a dreary Tuesday despite it being June. She had spent the day carrying out the dark lord's bidding as instructed; killing, maiming and torturing as she was dictated.

She delighted in her duty and the important jobs that the dark lord entrusted to her and she was excited to inform Rodolphus of the new honour that the dark lord had decided to bestow upon them.

She was the chosen vessel and he the chosen protector. The dark lord had thought long and hard about the fact that his legacy would need to be continued on and the work that he was doing would need to be continued on beyond him and his life. In order to go global with this he would need to send certain people to all the countries of the world.

And who could he trust more than his own children, his own flesh and blood.

The dark lord was no fool, he knew that he could not become emotionally attached to a woman enough in order for progeny to occur naturally and so he had chosen Bellatrix to be the bearer of his children. She would be magically inseminated.

He also knew that he didn't have the time or the patience to raise screaming brats and so he had ordered the Lestranges to not only bear his children but raise them also until they were old enough to learn from whence they came and the glorious purpose they were to be burdened with.

Bellatrix could not be more excited, she came as close to girlish giggling as she ever had in her 22 years of existence. She rushed home to their tidy little townhouse. It was poorly situated, so close to so many disgusting muggles, but it was her home and she had always been taught that her home would be the first thing she was judged by so she made sure it was neat and tidy but also minimalist. She didn't need all the finer things in life.

She hurried up the big stone steps and pushed open the heavy emerald front door. The hallway was cold and empty, and quiet. Suspiciously so.

Whenever Bellatrix had come home before there was noise. Either from the filthy little house elves as the scurried about doing their chores or from her husband, as false as their marriage might be, as he worked in his study loudly cussing about the workload and the orders he had to take from lesser beings. It was a daily routine.

Bellatrix listened hard but it was as if silence had magically been cast over the house.

She took the wooden staircase two at a time, trying to remain as silent as she was swift. The door to his bedroom stood out amongst all the others, it was the only one with a light flickering under the frame.

Bellatrix stole towards it quietly, quietly. There was still no sound.

The door knob was warm in her hand and it twisted silently, she threw open the door to her husband's bedroom and as she looked upon the naked, writing bodies of the man who had pledged his life to her and the sister she had known and cared for her whole life something inside of her snapped.

"Narcissa?" she choked out and for the first time in years Bellatrix felt tears stinging at her eyes.

The betrayal, not from one but from both, was just too much.

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 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


	11. Visits - GeorgeFred

**Author's Note: This is my entry for the match maker competition. It is a platonic love between Fred and George. No twincest or anything I just don't roll that way.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything you read here**

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Visits

Fred was happy having passed on. He hadn't felt the need to remain on earth as a ghost in order to haunt his loved ones, he knew that they would be happier knowing that he was in a better place but on this day he couldn't help himself.

It was probably a little morbid that he would do the rounds of his various family members on his death day but it wasn't like they knew he was there he just used this opportunity to check up on everyone. It happened to be that this day was when he was closest to being human again; the veil between the two existences was at its thinnest at that time.

He made sure to check in on his parents, they were a little sad and his mother tended to break out in a little sob from time to time but she was doing better than last year. Ron was fighting with Hermione, but that was how he dealt with his grief. Percy was as busy and pompous as ever but Fred saw the moments where he got lost in his thoughts and that sad look crossed his pointed features. Charlie was out fighting dragons, as per usual, and Fred knew his brother was happy. Bill was talking about him to his beautiful baby girl Victorie, Fred felt honoured.

It was George that Fred worried about most on this day. His twin would retreat inside of himself on the anniversary of his death insisting that he be alone. George would spend the whole day talking to Fred, he would tell him all about the life that he had been living and the big events that he had missed. How much they all wished he was here with them and he even told him about the dating problems he was having with Angelina.

Fred would sit beside his brother for hours, invisible to the mortal eye, and just listen to him. He would answer when George paused for breath even though his twin couldn't hear him offering any advice that he thought he could get. It almost broke his heart to see his brother so broken but he knew that it was his own special way of getting through the year.

So he went to the bench and sat down beside George, waiting patiently for him to start this year's update.

"You're late," were the first words out of his mouth.

Fred turned to his brother and gaped in shock looking around for the person he was actually talking to.

"You were supposed to be here an hour ago Freddy, you're always here then. You've kept me waiting." George looked up and right at Fred who stared down at himself in shock. No one ever saw him.

George's eyes were filling with tears as he stared at the seemingly empty bench beside him. He laughed humourlessly and went back to staring at his shoes. "I must look crazy because there is obviously no one here next to me, but I can feel you Freddy. You're my twin I will always know where you are and I know that right now you're sitting next to me, and even though I miss you like I've lost a limb that doesn't excuse you being late. You better not be next year."

Fred felt tears stinging his eyes and rolling down his cheeks for the first time since he had died. "Oh George," he sighed, "I'm sorry I'll never be late again."

George nodded as if he could really hear him and turned his head sideways peering at the spot where Fred's spirit dwelled. "Well we'd better start then, since we have less time than usual. Mam's been doing okay but she still calls me Fred sometimes, and Percy is as up tight as usual I swear…"

Fred smiled as his brother began to complain about the humdrum normalcy of his life and he couldn't help the odd feeling of bittersweet happiness that rose up inside him. He really missed life.

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 **Please leave a review!**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


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